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Virginia Rose

Rosa virginiana

Virginia rose is a glossy-leaved native rose with single pink flowers, glowing red fall foliage, and persistent scarlet hips. Salt- and drought-tolerant, it excels in coastal and seaside gardens. The hips are edible raw or cooked, and the buds have traditionally been eaten — as with any rose hip, strain out the fine seed hairs first, since they can irritate the mouth and digestive tract.

Family

Rosaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

6–6 ft

Spacing

4–6 ft apart

Light

part shade, shade

Soil moisture

dry, moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

June, July, August

Bloom colors

pink, yellow, purple

Wildlife value

pollinators, butterflies, mammals, songbirds, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~135 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

border, foundation

Native states

AL, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WV